April 12, 2011

The combination of technological developments, social media, and pressure from friends (peer pressure) has led to an addiction to the Internet. The teenagers are glued to the device that has an Internet connection, such as computers and mobile phones, not a new scene again. However, the interesting thing is the result of research in the United States about the influence that emerged from the cessation of the use of technology on adolescents.

Research conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Maryland is using an object with an age range from 17 to 23 years old and come from 10 different countries. In this study, the object which consists of 150 students were not allowed to use the phone, social media, internet, and television for 24 hours. Researchers obtained a response from this treatment was not much different from the usual response is indicated by the junkie who stop taking the drug.

The researchers found 21% object to feel the benefits are far away from technology and the Internet. However, another 79% showed a negative reaction, such as excessive stress, confusion, and feelings of isolation from social life. About 20% of them said that the desire to use electronic devices and social media appeared, like an addict who crave cocaine. Around 11% said they were confused or feel like a loser. Approximately 19% reported feeling excessive stress and 11% others feel isolated.

Susan Moeller, chief executive of this research, says that technology has served a variety of social media to the teenagers who spend their everyday online. Some teens want to rest away from the world of technology for a while, but fear of being isolated by his friends. One thing to remember is that reliance on this technology does not only happen to teenagers, but it can happen to all users of technology.